January has once again rolled around and everyone is trying to make high-quality resolutions and lifestyle changes. A friend of mine recently asked why we didn’t just make up our minds to do that anytime during the year. I replied: “We can but do we?”

We wait for the New Year to start something good or end something not so good. It’s not that we can’t make big decisions to change our lives at any time of the year, but it is just something about that fresh calendar page. New pens, colorful journals, fresh ideas . . . all those things.

I think it is almost like a signal, this January first tradition. The desire to make life changes on the first day of the year, or even of the month, sets a path for us to make a new beginning or renew one that worked in the past that we may have pushed to the side or forgotten. We can note on our calendars and in our journals how far we have come in our quest for healthier living or in leaving a bad habit behind.

Experts say it takes 8 to 12 weeks to change a habit: good or bad. But we shouldn’t place all our money on February and March arriving with the old habit dying in the dust or the new one clicking right along to success. We’ve written goals to work toward all through the year. We could set up phases for ourselves using a calendar or journal. In two or three month increments, write down where you would like to be on your journey including what you have learned and what you need to improve on. You could jot down advice or information you have received from others as you progress along the way.

Changes are hard, especially the older we get. We become complacent in the comfortable, predictable areas of our lives. That is not a bad thing on its own; however, when we are trying to make modifications or adjustments in our lives, it becomes important to get out of our comfort zone. Writing goals down helps us to see progress and realize that we can improve.

And you don’t have to have ten goals. Too many goals may set you up for disappointment if you are unable to work on each one satisfactorily. I have a couple I plan to work on this new year. I’m looking forward to the journey toward a happy 2024.